The second ship to bear the name "Semmes", the first
ship was "DD189".
Another link for
DD189.

The Semmes (DDG-18) was laid down on 18 August 1960 at
Avondale Shipyards, Inc., Westwego, La.; launched on 20
May 1961; sponsored by Mrs. F. E. Hebert; and
commissioned on 10 December 1962, Comdr. Richard G.
Alexander in command.

Following shakedown, Semmes joined Destroyer Division
(DesDiv) 62, Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 6, at
Charleston, S.C., in July 1963; and, into the summer of
1964, participated in various fleet exercises in the
Atlantic and Caribbean. Toward the end of that summer,
she sailed east for a six-week NATO exercise
"Masterstroke/Teamwork," in the North Atlantic
Norwegian Sea area, and, on 22 September, she crossed the
Arctic Circle. Two months later, on 28 November she
deployed to the Mediterranean for her first tour of four
months, with the 6th Fleet. She returned to Charleston in
time to participate in the 2d Fleet's exercises during
the spring of 1965. She then took part in support
operations off the Dominican Republic.

From February to July 1966, the guided missile
destroyer conducted her second tour with the 6th Fleet
and, on her return to the United States, changed her home
port from Charleston to Norfolk, effective 1 August in
anticipation of her first major overhaul at the Norfolk
Naval Shipyard. In April 1967, Semmes resumed operations
with refresher training in the Caribbean. In July, she
rejoined DesRon 6 at Charleston; and, in August, she
deployed for her third tour with the 6th Fleet. She
participated in fleet and NATO exercises into January
1968; then returned to Charleston, arriving on the 31st
for a month's rest before resuming operations in the
Caribbean and off the east coast.

On 10 June, Semmes again sailed east. During that
month and into July, she visited Germany and Denmark then
turned south for another 6th Fleet deployment. On 15
November, she was relieved by John King (DDG-3) at Rota,
Spain; and, 11 days later, she returned to Charleston
where she remained in port for the rest of the year.

In January 1969, she cleared Charleston to participate
in ASW and "Springboard" exercises in the
Puerto Rican operating area, then returned to her
homeport. In April, she returned to the Caribbean for 2d
Fleet exercises.

Through the summer, Semmes continued to conduct
exercises in the Caribbean and off the southeastern
seaboard. In late September, she again crossed the
Atlantic for a seven-month deployment with the 6th Fleet;
and, on 10 February 1970, while moored at Naples, she was
struck by the Greek freighter, SS Mautrie. The damage
sustained to her bow was quickly repaired; and, before
the end of the month, she had resumed operations. By
mid-March, she had arrived at Barcelona for turnover with
Conyngham (DDG-17). On the 18th, she departed the
Mediterranean; and, on the 28th, she returned to
Charleston.

During 1971, her schedule remained basically the same,
but her annual tour with the 6th Fleet, 16 July to 11
October, was followed by visits to the Netherlands and to
Denmark for binational and NATO operations. On 20
December, Semmes returned to South Carolina, and, in
January 1972, she entered the Charleston Naval Shipyard
for conversion of her engineering plant to the Navy
Distillate Fuel Oil System. With the spring, she resumed
operations off the east coast and in the Caribbean. In
September, she participated in NATO exercise "Strong
Express," which again took her above the Arctic
Circle and which was followed by visits to Norway and
Denmark. In October, she returned to Charleston. In
November, she conducted exercises in the Caribbean; and,
in December, she prepared for another deployment in the
Mediterranean with NATO's Standing Naval Force, Atlantic.

After sea trials in the Charleston operating area,
Semmes got underway from that port on 4 January 1973. She
arrived in Portsmouth, England, on the 15th, joining the
NATO naval force there. For the next seven months, the
guided missile destroyer cruised the Atlantic visiting
ports on both sides of that ocean and participating in
three exercises: NATO Exercise "Sunny Seas," in
January and February, Canadian Exercise MARCOT 2/73, in
April and May, and Norwegian Exercise "Midnight
Sun" in June. On 1 July, Semmes changed operational
control back to the 2d Fleet and nine days later,
returned to Charleston.

Following a month of post-deployment standdown, from
10 July until 10 August, she resumed operations along the
eastern seaboard and in the Caribbean. In November and
December, she took part in Exercises "Fun in the
Sun" and LANTREADEX 2-74. Semmes reentered
Charleston on 19 December to prepare for overhaul.

On June 17,2004, at Souda Bay, Crete, the Hellenic (Greek) Navy held
the decommissioning ceremony of HS KIMON (D-218) (former USS SEMMES
(DDG-18) / USN), its last ex-USN CHARLES F. ADAMS-class DDG in service.
From the five DDGs transferred to Greece 1990/1991 from the USN, four
were commissioned in the Hellenic Navy, while the fifth was used solely
for spares. In Greek service, HS KIMON, ex-USS SEMMES (DDG-18), served
from September 12,1991 to June 17, 2004 and steamed for 16,000 hours,
covering over 174,000 nautical miles. HS KIMON was the world's last
CHARLES F. ADAMS-class DDG in service. With her decommissioning the HN
marked the end of the "steam" propulsion era. All HN vessels now in
service, are gas turbine or diesel powered. The HS KIMON (D-218) was
decommissioned ahead of schedule, as the boilers were up for a major
scheduled inspection/maintenance. Due to the costs involved it was
deemed better economically to proceed with her decommissioning.